Method of conducting a card game

Abstract

A wager is received on a designated hand. At least two hands are dealt. Optionally, if a hand has a natural hand score, wagers on the hand with the natural hand score may be rewarded. A hand score (the sum modulo ten of the values of the cards) is calculated for each hand and compared to a target value. A card is dealt to the hand further from the target value and a new hand score is calculated for that hand. If the new hand score remains further from the target value than the other hand, wagers on that hand are collected and wagers on the hand closer to the target value are rewarded. If the new hand score is closer to the target value than the other hand, a card is dealt to the hand further from the target value. Hand scores are re-calculated and wagers resolved.

1. A method of conducting a card game at a physical gaming table using playing cards for at least one player comprising:
 receiving a wager from said at least one player on a hand designated by said player; 
 dealing at least two hands of playing cards; 
 calculating a hand score for each hand as the sum modulo ten of the values of the playing cards in that hand; 
 comparing the hand scores of said hands to a target value; 
 if one of said hand scores is closer to said target value than is the other hand score, dealing an additional card to the hand having a hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which said card was dealt, and comparing the hand scores of said hands to said target value; 
 if said new hand score remains further from said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, terminating said card game, collecting wagers on the hand having a hand score further from said target value, and rewarding wagers on the hand having a hand score closer to said target value; and 
 if said new hand score is closer to said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the hand having a hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which the card was dealt, comparing said hand scores to said target value, and terminating said card game by collecting wagers on the hand having a hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand having a hand score closer to said target value. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising, if said hand scores are equal, dealing an additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each hand, comparing said new hand scores to said target value, and collecting wagers on the hand further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand closer to said target value. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising, if said hand scores are equal, returning said wagers. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of rewarding comprises issuing a reward based on said wager, minus a commission. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 4  wherein said commission is a percentage of said reward that varies based on the hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 defining at least one natural hand score; 
 if only one of the hand scores is a natural hand score, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score and collecting wagers on said hand not having a natural hand score; 
 if more than one of the hand scores is a natural hand score and one of the natural hand scores is greater than the other natural hand score, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score closer to said target value and collecting wagers on said hand having a natural hand score further from said target value; and 
 if more than one of the hand scores is a natural hand score and the natural hand scores are equal, returning all wagers. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, returning all wagers. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the other hand, calculating a new hand score for the other hand, comparing said new hand scores to said target value, and collecting wagers on the hand with the new hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the new hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 1  further comprising, if each hand score for said hands is less than a predetermined value, dealing at least one additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each said hand, and comparing said new hand scores of said hands to said target value. 
   
   
     10. A method of conducting a card game at a physical gaming table using playing cards for at least one player comprising:
 defining at least one natural hand score; 
 receiving a wager from said at least one player on a hand designated by said player; 
 dealing at least two hands of playing cards; 
 calculating a hand score for each hand as the sum modulo ten of the values of the playing cards in that hand; 
 comparing the hand scores of said hands to one another and to a target value; 
 if only one of the hand scores is a natural hand score, terminating said card game, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score, and collecting wagers on said hand not having a natural hand score; 
 if more than one of the hand scores is a natural hand score and one of the natural hand scores is greater than the other natural hand score, terminating said card game, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score closer to said target value, and collecting wagers on said hand having a natural hand score further from said target value; 
 if more than one of the hand scores is a natural hand score and the natural hand scores are equal, terminating said card game and returning all wagers; and 
 if none of the hand scores is a natural hand score, resolving said wagers, said resolution comprising:
 if said hand scores are equal, dealing an additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each hand, comparing said new hand scores, and terminating said card game by collecting wagers on the hand with the new hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the new hand score closer to said target value; 
 if one of said hand scores is further from said target value than is the other hand score, dealing an additional card to the hand having a hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which said card was dealt, and comparing the hand scores of said hands to said target value; 
 if said new hand score is remains further from said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, terminating said card game. collecting wagers on the hand with a hand score further from said target value, and rewarding wagers on the hand with the hand score closer to said target value; and 
 if said new hand score is closer to said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the hand having the hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which the card was dealt, comparing said hand scores, and terminating said card game by collecting wagers on the hand with the hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the hand score closer to said target value. 
 
 
   
   
     11. The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of rewarding comprises issuing a reward based on said wager, minus a commission. 
   
   
     12. The method of  claim 11  wherein said commission is a percentage of said reward that varies based on said hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     13. The method of  claim 10  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, returning all wagers. 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 10  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the other hand, calculating a new hand score for the other hand, comparing said new hand scores, and collecting wagers on the hand with the new hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the new hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 10  further comprising, if each hand score for said hands is less than a predetermined value, dealing at least one additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each said hand, and comparing said new hand scores of said hands to said target value. 
   
   
     16. A method of conducting a card game at a physical gaming table using playing cards for at least one player comprising:
 defining at least two natural hand scores; 
 receiving a wager from said at least one player on a hand designated by said player; 
 dealing two hands of playing cards; 
 calculating a hand score for each hand as the sum modulo ten of the values of the playing cards in that hand; 
 comparing the hand scores of said hands to one another and to a target value; 
 if only one of the hand scores is a natural hand score, terminating said card game, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score, and collecting wagers on said hand not having a natural hand score; 
 if more than one of the hand scores is a natural hand score and one of the natural hand scores is closer to said target value than is the other natural hand score, terminating said card game, rewarding wagers on said hand having a natural hand score closer to said target value, and collecting wagers on said hand having a natural hand score further from said target value; 
 if both of the hand scores is a natural hand score and the natural hand scores are equal, terminating said card game and returning all wagers; and 
 if neither of the hand scores is a natural hand score, resolving said wagers, said resolution comprising:
 if said hand scores are equal, dealing an additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each hand, comparing said new hand scores, and terminating said card game by collecting wagers on the hand with the new hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the new hand score closer to said target value; 
 if one of said hand scores is further from said target value than is the other hand score, dealing an additional card to the hand having the hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which said card was dealt, and comparing the hand scores of said hands to said target value; 
 if said new hand score remains further from said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, terminating said card game, collecting wagers on the hand with the hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the hand score closer to said target value; and 
 if said new hand score is closer to said target value than is the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the hand having the hand score further from said target value, calculating a new hand score for said hand to which the card was dealt, comparing said hand scores, and terminating said card game by collecting wagers on the hand with the hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the hand score closer to said target value. 
 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16  wherein said step of rewarding comprises issuing a reward based on said wager, minus a commission. 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 17  wherein said commission is a percentage of said reward that varies based on said hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 16  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, returning all wagers. 
   
   
     20. The method of  claim 16  further comprising if said new hand score is equal to the hand score for the other hand, dealing an additional card to the other hand, calculating a new hand score for the other hand, comparing said new hand scores, and collecting wagers on the hand with the new hand score further from said target value and rewarding wagers on the hand with the new hand score closer to said target value. 
   
   
     21. The method of  claim 16  further comprising, if each hand score for said hands is less than a predetermined value, dealing at least one additional card to each hand, calculating a new hand score for each said hand, and comparing said new hand scores of said hands to said target value.